Not-So-Manly Socks

This pair? All mine!

Pattern: Manly Socks (download now)
Yarn: Dream in Color, Smooshy with Cashmere in "Electric Mauve"
Needles: Signature Needle Arts, 1.5mm 6" DPNs

Not-So-Manly Socks

Toesicles: A new (unisex) sock pattern!

Luxurious. Toasty. Sexy. Well, that last one depends on your point of view.

But, hey! These socks are perfect for holiday gifts... They knit up quickly, look impressive, and fit frosty feet of the female and male varieties!

And I'll bet, if you ask my husband, he'll say warm toes are sexy any day of the year. (Since the alternative tends to be my warming them on him.)

The pattern is new -- I just posted it on Ravelry today, so pop on over and pick up a PDF of your very own. You know you want to...



Not a Ravelry member? That's OK -- you can use PayPal. Drop me a line at KnitSix@gmail.com, send your $5, and I'll gladly send you a PDF.

Toesicles: A new (unisex) sock pattern!

Kamille Socks: New pattern, new photos

Photo courtesy of Shalimar Yarns

Here's a photo of Kamille, which debuted at Sock Summit. This sock was knitted up in Shalimar's Zoe Sock, in the Damson colorway. Another, in Saffron, is being knit even as I type, so I'll have a new picture for you soon.

By the way, Kamille is spelled with a K because it's a Norwegian word, meaning Chamomile.

I also have some lovely new photos of my Villette socks:

Kristi from Shalimar Yarns modeled the sock, while I snapped pix using her wonderful camera (it makes every picture look good).

Here's a close-up of the heel flap detail.

Both patterns are available from Shalimar. For more information or to order, just e-mail ShalimarYarns@aol.com

Happy knitting!

Kamille Socks: New pattern, new photos

Villette: A lacy new sock pattern for spring (and a great novel, too)!

Permit me to introduce Villette, my latest sock pattern, now available as a Shalimar Yarns exclusive. Created especially for the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, Villette features a ribbed cuff that flows into a gorgeous rippling lace, reminiscent of the flowing lines so popular during the Belle Epoque.

In my opinion, a special sock deserves a special heel. In this case, the lace melts into a delicately braided pattern framed with garter stitch, which mimics the ridges in the leg pattern...
A simple Dutch heel is easy to turn and creates a slim line along the ankle and foot. From there, the knitter returns to the lace pattern--centered along the instep and set off with purl and twisted stitches--down to a traditional wedge toe with two finishing options.

Shamelessly, I must admit that I LOVE this sock! It speaks to me in the language of a bygone era, one which I often wish I could have experienced--as a Vanderbilt or Astor, of course ;-)

The name I borrowed from the title of the lovely, melancholy Charlotte Brontë novel, in which an independent young woman beset by grief and financial woes begins anew in the French town of Villette.

An aside: If you are unfamiliar with Bronte's work (beyond Jane Eyre, of course), please do yourself a favor and pick up Villette. If you love English Lit, you'll may find, as I did, that it's a page-turner. Honestly--it kept me up late at night, wanting to know what would happen next!

The specs

• Height: 9 inches from floor to cuff
• Circumference: Approx. 8.5 – 9.0 inches around foot (lace pattern is quite stretchy) Gauge: 8 sts x 10 rnds = 1” in stockinette stitch
• Needles: US #1 / 2.5 mm 32” circular needles (or DPNs or any other method you prefer)
• Yarn: Shalimar Yarns Zoe Sock (100% Superwash Merino Wool; 100g / 450 yds); one skein in “Passion Fruit”
  

This is a Shalimar Yarns pattern. Which means all you need to do to order it is to contact Kristi (yarn-dyer extraordinaire) at Kristi@EleganzaYarns.com or on Ravelry, where her user name is KnitorDie.

In other news
Another Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival has come and gone. Saturday dawned rainy and gray, but by 11 a.m. or so the skies had cleared. Sunday, on the other hand, was truly dark and wet.

But reports were positive, and a good time was had by all--especially my husband, who ate lamb while I wandered through the barns, finding some great bargains among the smaller yarn dyers (like Shalimar and Three Irish Girls, to name two favorites), fiber farmers, and wool vendors.

Despite the fact that their spinning fiber and yarn is often breathtakingly beautiful, many of these so-called "mom-and-pop businesses" and small start-ups don't have Web presences and don't offer their wares in "real stores." Discovering these treasures are, to me, what this is what fiber festivals are all about.

After all, I can always order Cascade, Blue Moon Fiber Arts, and Interweave Press books online right?


PS. We've been experiencing some problems with our Internet connectivity, so my posts may be a bit sporadic for a few more weeks. Thanks for bearing with me!

Villette: A lacy new sock pattern for spring (and a great novel, too)!

Craic: New socks for spring

Craic, pronounced “crack,” is a Gaelic word that roughly translates to “great fun,” as in: “Knitting these socks is great craic.”

I designed these Celtic-spring-inspired socks for Three Irish Girls, using Kells Sport, a densely-spun, 100-percent superwash Merino with a plump structure that makes cables pop. And as you knit, Kells works up into a wonderfully soft and squeezable fabric - I could hardly keep my hands off these socks!

Craic's pattern begins at the cuff, where pattern-specific ribbing flows effortlessly into ripples and twintings of deeply-textured cables. At the ankle, one panel splits, following the instep stitches to the toe.

Then there's my favorite part: The large cable panel on the back of the sock continues all the way down the heel flap, making these socks a perfect match for cute clogs and other slip-on shoes...

Full charts are included in the pattern, so you'll always be able to see where you are and what comes next. I've also added instructions for the various stitch patterns - so, even if you're a novice cable-knitter, you'll be able to knit these impressive-looking socks. (And I'm always happy to answer your questions!)


While Craic was first released to the Sock Yarnista Club, the pattern is now available for anyone to purchase via PDF download from the Three Irish Girls Web site. Just click here for more information - after all, what sock knitter doesn't enjoy a little craic from time to time?

Click here to see Craic Socks on Ravelry!


(Note: The above photos of Craic Socks were provided by Three Irish Girls.)

Craic: New socks for spring

Cold Cottage Socks

A few weeks ago we spent a wonderful weekend with my mother- and father-in-law. Since their beautiful home is about three hours north of us, I just had to pack some special knitting for the car ride there and back -- you know, Vacation Knitting.

Most of the items on my needles right now require that I: (A) look at them (e.g. cabled socks) or (B) think about them (e.g. designs I'm working on). The problem? Well, I get really car sick if I have to look down...reading maps, working little cables, etc. The other problem? Sometimes knitting stuff I have to think about makes me tired.

Enter the Cold Cottage Socks -- easy to do without looking down or missing out on the latest family news. And working without a pattern kept me interested enough that I never felt the need to break out one of the other three projects I brought along ;-)

I've been wanting to make these for Chris for quite a while. The body is Peace Fleece DK-weight, and the blue-purple yarn is from Cottage Craft (a Canadian company whose yarns I love). Both yarns feel rustic before washing, then soften up quite nicely.

Peace Fleece has a goodly amount of mohair in it, which means it's strong and durable. Great for a man's boot sock. But because my husband wears out the back of the heel on all his socks, I decided to double up on color to make them twice as strong (also, it's more visually interesting than just working the heel stitch in white).

So there you have it: A pair of socks on the needles, pretty much half done now, which will keep my honey's feet toasty next time the temperature drops. And in our beloved, little-old house--with its cold, drafty floors--that will probably happen sooner rather than later.

PS. Check out this awesome deal on Cottage Craft sweater kits!!!

Cold Cottage Socks

When the Fancy Strikes...

The other day I walked into my studio, coffee in hand, and suddenly realized I felt like knitting something small. Something quick. Something that might do good for a little one on the other side of the world. In other words, something for the Afghans for Afghans (current) campaign for kids.

So I grabbed some discontinued, worsted-weight alpaca/wool yarn that's been stuffed in the bottom of my stash for too long, and cast on some little socks. Working two at a time on one circular needle really made them fly.

In one day, they were done. And the whole time I made them, I kept thinking of the cute little toes that, someday, might wiggle in these socks, all nice and toasty.

The next day I cast on for a little kid's hat (to keep the other end warm). I'll make it big enough to grow with him or her, and keep the design unisex so it can easily be handed down from sister to brother (or vice versa).

Interested in helping out? Check out the Afghans for Afghans Web site for more information.


Otherwise, I've been cranking out a few washcloths/dishcloths during the evenings. After many loads of dishes in the Knit*Six Test Kitchen (ha!), I can honestly say I like the crocheted variety better. The texture is thick, strong, and scrubby.

Don't get me wrong: Knitted cloths are fine, too! And they often look nicer than the crocheted cloths -- at least the ones I turn out. To each his own, as they say.

Either way, though, there is something satisfying about working with soft, thick, bright cotton yarn (Peaches & Creme or Sugar & Cream), working mindlessly while you watch a favorite show (Entourage, anyone? It's my current favorite), and finishing a project in a few hours.

And then, you toss this brightly-colored, hand-knit or crocheted beauty into a sink of dirty dishes and soap it, scrub with it, wring it, throw it in the washer and dryer -- just use and abuse it. Because that's how it wants to be treated.

Yep, a rare occasion indeed. And, I think, a refreshing change from handling our usual delicate, gem-like, hand-knit lace shawls/scarves, socks, and sweaters.

Feels good, doesn't it?

When the Fancy Strikes...

Freesia Socks: Update about a favorite pattern

Remember the Freesia Socks?

Last year, explaining the inspiration for these socks, I wrote about a little cloister-like courtyard in my high school (in Marin Co., Calif.), where planters were filled with freesias. When the sun shone down mid-day, the entire courtyard would be thick as honey with their intoxicating fragrance. This colorway, Iris, reminds me of those flowers…

Simple as it is, this is one of my favorite designs. The colors in the yarn, the texture of the fiber, and the stitch pattern all came together to create something wonderful. They're scrunchy and squeezable (for those of us who do such things to our socks/yarns).
And they look pretty "on the foot."

I wrote the actual pattern for these socks last fall, for Shalimar Yarns. It takes only one skein of fingering-weight yarn and some US# 1.5/2.5 mm needles to knit up a pair. You can include the ribbon of your choice or opt to leave the picot hem otherwise unadorned.

I say: Enough already with the cold, snow, and ice -- It's time for spring!
So grab your favorite yarn and needles, and let's knit up a little flower power.
Happy stitching!

For more information about this pattern, you can contact Shalimar Yarns or Eleganza Yarns. Currently -- and perhaps for a limited time only -- the pattern is free when you purchase a skein of Shalimar's Zoe Sock or Superwash Sock. You can also check out the Freesia Socks pattern on Ravelry.

Freesia Socks: Update about a favorite pattern

Quiche me once, then quiche me twice...

This may well be the most delicious Quiche Lorraine I've ever baked -- or eaten, actually. There was no skimping with this baby. Real Swiss cheese, real bacon, and real (heavy) cream. My eight-inch pie pan made for a deep-dish experience. I folded the crust upward, forming a wall that held the custard in place.

My oven is funny. It runs at least 100-degrees high. At least. Things that should bake in 20 minutes frequently take 10, even when I adjust the dial for the heat difference. But my quiche would not be hurried, so I was forced to turn the oven down, down, down...250, 225, finally 200 degrees, plate-warming temperature. All the while chatting with my mom via Skype.

Toward the end, I removed the aluminum foil protecting the crust's edges, turned the oven off, and just let it sit in there for a while. When I pulled the quiche out, I was rewarded with a clean fork when inserted an inch from the center. And when Chris came home and we sliced into it -- well, it was pure heaven.

The custard was absolutely tender and light. The balance of bacon and cheese was perfect. Even the crust seemed happy . This was no average love-you-and-leave you quiche, oh no! After a slice of this baby, you might feel a lingering desire for more of its savory goodness. But the richness was deceptive, threatening to turn a blissful experience into a slightly-headachey one after just one bite too many.

No average quiche, this.

In the interest of full disclosure: I used a Pillsbury rolled-up, refrigerated pie crust. So, what did I do with the other crust? Apple turnovers...

I finished Froot Loop Sock #1 today, and immediately cast on the second one. These are for ME :-) Happily, I love, love, love this Araucania Ranco Multy sock yarn!!! Wooly and lofty, plump and delightful to work with, the colors are mesmerizing. They actually seem to change with the light. Working on this sock in direct sunlight (last fall) left me besotted.

And when I put this sock on, it hugged my foot with comforting warmth. Great pattern, perfect yarn = relaxing knitting. (FYI: I'm using a US#1.5 KnitPicks Options nickel-plated circular needle)


Talking of colors, take a look at this gorgeous roving! Meghan (host of Stitch It! Podcast), sent it to me as a prize for a contest I won last autumn (here's her Etsy shop). Just look at the saturated hues, the way the peacock blue and plum colors seem as iridescent as the feathers on a Mallard duck's neck.

I also received a lovely basket of gifts from BethanyG (that's her "Ravetar"), who came up with the contest idea and coordinated it. Tasty goodies, spicy cinnamon-scented soap and candle, pumpkin-pie scented lotion and lip balm, and a catnip toy for Katja and Charley...it was literally a cornucopia of autumn goodness for all of us :-)

And, finally, speaking of Katja and Charley, here's the ultimate cuteness: a kitty version of Yin and Yang (in more ways than one!)...

Take advice from the experts: Stay warm and cozy, snuggle with a friend, and enjoy a little time for napping, spinning, knitting, or whatever floats your boat!

Quiche me once, then quiche me twice...

New Patterns and Projects

Curious about what I may have in my project bags? (I always love seeing what others have on and off their needles/hooks!) Here are a few little items for you...

Nadia Fingerless Mitts

Knitted up for a friend who lives nearby, who needs her hands free when running errands or playing with her little son.

They're simple 2x2 ribbing with a little cable twist on the back of each hand. Quick (and thus satisfying) to knit for yourself or a friend.

Secret Project #1

I've been working on this little project over the course of several months (with delays from celebrating holidays, catching a virus, visiting family, etc.). What is it? Well, that's a secret for now, but I do have to say that knitting with Three Irish Girls' Wexford Merino & Silk (shown in "Roan," above and below) is absolute bliss.

A plump, worsted-weight yarn, it behaves well on a variety of needle sizes. Stitch definition, when knitting with singles yarns, is always a treat. And the color? Simply luminous. Sharon (AKA: The Yarnista) really knows how to make colors and fibers work together.

Secret Project #2

Noro Silver Thaw...it's wonderful stuff.

Secret Project #3

A taste of spring in the middle of winter: Shalimar Yarns' Superwash Sock in Sweet Pea. It's gloomy as can be outside today, but looking at these colors makes me happy.

Too many of us, on the Atlantic Coast, anyway, resort to drab colors in winter. So I thought I'd create a little garden-hued something to:
- Combat any Seasonal Affective Disorder lurking in the cold, damp, grayness
- Support my own (and maybe other sun-lovers') conviction that spring is just around the corner ;-)

Secret Project #4

Hmmm...I wonder what these little goodies will become?

Socks, anyone?

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock (medium weight) is just scrumptious. It's so bouncy, soft, and round that I find myself squeezing it all the time. This gorgeous colorway is Philosopher's Stone.

Bea's Hat

I liked Sleepy Eyes Knits' Amanda Hat so much I thought I'd knit one up for my mother in law. She has the most beautiful black-coffee colored eyes -- really striking -- so I decided on this plummy Manos del Uruguay yarn with a few pale lavender highlights. (For those wondering what I'm talking about: Purple-ish colors bring out brown eyes.)

And, last but not least:

The Kitty Donut!
Shaped like a jelly donut and filled with garden-grown catnip, this little toy practically demands that Charley play with it. Honestly, he was sleeping soundly when I finished crocheting it last night, and when we placed it near him, he woke up and sleepily knocked it off the sofa. It was all downhill from there...

The end result of a morning "on the 'nip."

I'll write up some patterns this week, and will keep you posted on the others. Happy knitting!

New Patterns and Projects

Cat's Eye

This is my brain...

Well, actually, this is more like my brain...

And this is my brain on kitten...

Remember: When in doubt, play with fiber.

***

For anyone wondering how Katja and Charley get along,
here's some feline body language for you...

Don't be fooled. This is probably less innocent than it appears.

A cat's eyes are windows enabling us to see into another world.

- Irish proverb


Wishing you all a peaceful Tuesday!

Cat's Eye